To Riris: Riris has heard plenty of stories about shapeshifting creatures both benign and otherwise. But most of them involved the otherwise, as such gifts are so easily abused in the long run. It's not until Pip's comment that one in particular stands out the most to her. Whether the gnome actually knew it or not, you feel certain an actual doppelganger had been masquerading as Nundro back in the other chamber! No wonder it hadn't just revealed itself and crushed you all with magic like a powerful hag or the raw draconic might of, well, a dragon! It could even be the very same one that last masqueraded as Gundren back at Cragmaw castle, and who subsequently found an opening to slip away during the chaos of the rescue!

However, by the time this all settles into mind Ordin and Pip at least are already well out the door, and with Pip and Mixum probably not far behind them. Probably. Your first instinct is probably to give chase, but... what about the real Nundro? The dwarf appeared to be half in and out of conscious by the moment.

It takes the group that give chase at least a couple of minutes to finally catch up with their target and Gundren. You all hear the sounds of a fight having broken out well before then, echoing down the halls. By the time the group reaches the second set of stairs, the fight is over. From the top they can see heavily beaten Gundren standing over a presumably unconscious Nundro. Once more Gundren had his war pick in hand, but held loosely to the side.

"Why... Why'ja not listen? Why'ja.... I just wanted....  What did he do to ya...?" The group hear him ask aloud, but without so much as glancing back at winded party members. 

Seeing just about everyone flee, Riris gives one concerned look at the group, and then one concerned look at the real Nundro. She grabs Anton by the wrist, in a desire to have him stay, and a bit after the group rounds the corner while they're leaving, she yells back to them. "The fake one is a doppelganger!" At least, now they knew, even if they didn't know what to do with that information.

If Anton did stay, not like he wasn't strong enough to completely overpower the small halfling if he was intent on leaving, she explains her thoughts. "We don't wanna leave him alone, yeah? Look at me and tell me ya think I'd be able to guard him all by myself. This is the real Nundro we were tryin' to save. The other's just an imitator."

"Gundren!" Pip calls out as they come upon the dwarves.  "That's not the real Nundor, he's a faker, a doppleganger!  It's pretending to be Nundro!  Be careful!"

"Gundren, you're alive!" Ordrin says leaning in his knees and panting, relief plain in his voice. "Your brother... he's back there. This one is a devil, a shapeshifter of some kind." Ordrin, still panting, quickly searches the creature. "Come back, and let's bring this lout. Didja knock him good?"

Mixum was hoping for a sibling reunion but others seemed more wary than he. He thought it best to accompany Pip in case more surprises await.

"Mr Nundro, if that's your real name, wait here for your own safety."

The still bound and very much Nundro hardly looked to know what to say in response. Mixum could however leave confident that the new Nundro they found wouldn't be going anywhere sooner. And so, atop of Charlotte presumably, the gnome is easily enough able to catch up with Pip and Ordrin, if not arrive none too long after the pair. Whether Anton stayed or left despite Riris' pleas to be determined.

Meanwhile, Gundren jerked to attention at the news, and would finally glanced back over his shoulders looking confused, heavily bruised, and close to teary-eyed. "Wha-e.... What are ya-?" He started to say, but wound up only interrupting himself to start wiping at his own face. By the time he's cleaned up and regained some composure, Ordrin has had a chance to draw in close enough to inspect the creature. However, apart from discovering 'it' still looked very much like an unconscious Nundro, though freshly bloodied and bruised, it appear to carry nothing but the heavily worn clothing on its back.

"Hold on! J-just hold on a moment. Ya lot be telling me that this isn't brother? Just a pretender? And that I almost--" He stops, the words catching his throat. Gundren looks down angrily at the Nundro at his feet, grip tightening upon the War Pick in hand. "This venemous, ore-eating, cave fish sucker!" He yells, kicking it hard in the side. Then, Gundren turns on Ordrin looking torn between grateful and furious at once. "I don't want this thing anywhere near my brother. So tell me why I shouldn't just pop its melon and be done with it?"

"Suppose we're wrong, Gundren!" Ordrin pleads. "I know what I saw but I haven't had a wee bit a whisky in a frightful long time and, Sweet Mother, if I'm a bit daft it could be the wrong melon you pop."

Anton's first instinct is to give chase, but he trusts Riris enough at this point to stay when asked.

"Yup, that's the downside.   I'm pretty certain we are right and that's a fake and your real brother is back there tied up.  But if we are wrong you kill your own brother.   I wouldn't want to live with that.   So for now let's tie this one up and keep a good eye on it.   Maybe we can figure out a way to get it to reveal itself. "

Pip says

Riris gives Anton a nod and a smile, then leads the way inside to Nundro, who's the one she theorizes is the real one. Getting closer, she gets working on freeing him of some of his bounds, but not all of them, leaving at least his hands tied. "Hey, are ya alright? I'll have to make ya wait a lil' bit because we saw another one of ya on the other room, and now everyone's a bit confused."

"But you-... But this-...." Gundren said, or try to respond. But, when it became clear he couldn't find the words, he would clenches his jaw and leer down at the Nundro at his feet. The leather about his war pick even began to noisily strain as Gundren's grip tightened by the moment. However, following a tense few moments, the dwarf eventually lets out an angered groan, then stepped away shaking fist and pick in the air. "Fine! Fine!" He groused. "By the All Father's Beard... One of ya or both of ya Tie'm and take'm then back where that oily elf was. Will figure it out from there." Gundren tosses back over his shoulder, before putting the pick away, crossing his arms, and staring stubbornly at a nearby wall.

Meanwhile back with Anton and Riris, their Nundro still appeared confused about the whole situation, but thankful once it looked like Riris might free him. In stopping just short of the hands though, confusion, worry, and even suspicion began creeping into the young dwarf's eyes and a bit guarded expression. "W-... wait... Another.... m-....!" He said, before pausing with eyes wide in epiphany. "Ya killed it, right? It's dead at least?" He asked, lurching forward at first, before wincing and grunting in pain.

"Ugh... That dirt gulping cavefisher...." He grumbled underbreath, having likely jostled his injuries in the excitement. If given a chance to recover, Nundro eventually maneuvers into a more comfortable seated position. "I don't know who ya lot are... or what you're doing here... but be careful... if... if ya didn't take care of that... that Drow.... the one with staff, at least... sometimes... ugh.... " He trailed off for a moment and shook his head. "If he's alive, he... he'll be back soon enough... and with those spiders too... The one's that took Tharden." It's at that point Nundro to bow his head and start to weep. "I couldn't... It was too fast.... It... they.... said they only needed one of us.... said..." Nundro trailed off again, too choked up for words.

Mixum tried to unfurrow his now constantly furrowed brow. "What would the Drow be needing one of you for?" At the mention of spiders he laid a hand on Charlottes clockworked side. 

"Here we go again," Ordrin grumbles, and starts tearing the suspect Nundro's shirt into strips for binding his hands.

(So sorry, I ended up forgetting I hadn't posted anything here.)

Riris waits until he's done before going right behind him and untying the rope. "And... there ya go! The copy of ya is maybe still alive. I dunno, though, my friends just went running out after it." She shrugs, trusting the others to have handled the problem well enough she didn't need to worry. "They took who? Just, don't worry about the drow. The spider mage has fallen to Anton's spear! That's him over there."

 Ordrin finishes tying the doppel-Nundro's hands. Then he hooks his hammer underneath the binds and uses it like a hitch, pulling their quarry behind him like a sled.

(OOC: I just now the discrepency, and as an OOC reminder, Mixum ran off with Pip and Ordrin to catch up to Gundren. So, he has no idea about the other conversation, just to clear things up a little more.)

To Mixum: Unless the question was more a rhetorical one -- a conjecture spoken aloud in remembrence of Riris' last word of warning to those that ran off -- there is no answer from the unconcious "dwarf" currently being bound up by Gundren. It would appear that he is well and truly out for the moment. Perhaps in a few hours the "dwarf" would naturally regain consciousness enough for questioning. Or a spot of healing might also do the trick.

To Ordrin: Ordin is able to easily tie up dopple-Nundro's hands using the clothing. Although, just how strong they'll prove to be given the material is another story. It is also a bit awkward trying to drag the "dwarf" like a sled; especially upon reaching the stairs. But if determined and unconcerned with possible further injury or worse to his captive, Ordrin can make it happen.

That said, once Gundren hears one way or another Odrin, Pip, Mixum, and Charlotte making ready to leave, he turned about intending to follow, if albeit still grumpy. He looks aghast for at least a moment, before then settling on a conflicted look of fury as he marched off barking, "Now hold it right there! If your not even sure if that's my brother, ya can't freaking be handling him like that! He'll break his freaking neck with ya dragging him up the stairs!" No response is swift enough for Gundren after that, for soon he's briskly trying to unhook the hammer from the ties, then slinging "Nundro" over his shoulders. He then looks a mixture of disappointed and conflicted at Ordrin, before with a grunt, begining the lengthy trek back to the statue room.

To Riris and Anton: Even after being finally freed it takes a few moments for Nundro to calm down again. He appears attentive enough at least to look as directed to Anton, and even given a questioning look for confirmation. In backing Riris story, Nundro sags a bit on the spot as all the tension in him began to flee. "... I... I thank ye. Both of ya..." He said, looking to Riris and Anton each in turn. "I... I owe ya great deal. More then, I...." The dwarf frowns and shakes his head. "Whatever it takes, I'll make sure you lot are rewarded for what ya done. On my honor, and the honor of the Rockseeker Clan." He assured, rubbing his now freed limbs. Then, the young dwarf bowed his head, looking solemn and dejected. "As for who they took, I was referring to Tharden... his life being what the spiders had taken, before I lost consciousness and... was brought here for their interrogations and 'their' fun."

 At Gundren's protestations Ordrin stops and looks blankly at the floor for a moment. "Well, Gundren, y'see, yer not wrong," needling the dirt with his toe. "But I got a feeling about this one. Best to be safe and not bash 'im in too hasty like. But not too safe. Praise be to the merciful Lady, carry yer brother. Moradin has strengthened me with the strength to relocate a mountain goat such as this over crag and cliff and Sharindlar has graced me with the grace to not bruise the goat but a wee bit while I do. But it be yer right to tend your brother - or whatever he be - as kin will and you give no offense to Moradin or Sharindlar, each or both, by doing so. I'll keep my eye on him, while you do, in case he remembers who he be."

Mixum offers Nundro an alchemical drought to help him regain his health.

"We should see about the imposter."  Mixum checks to see where Ordrin, Anton, Pip and Riris   are heading.

Pip follows behind the others as they head back to where the real Nundro is.  He keeps an eye on the imposter ready to cast a spell to attack if needed.  He feels very confident they have caught the correct one.

"I'd quite enjoy a reward but ya really don't need to," Riris says, almost as an afterthought since she was focused on something else. "Um, we should go back and meet with the others. They should have Gundren with 'em. I'll gladly lead the way for ya."